Exhortation Station

I’m finally getting around to writing Part 2 of this post. If you haven’t read Part 1, I encourage you to do so via this link: Preserve Our Intentions – Part 1.

Today’s post focuses on 1 Chronicles 29. The chapter opens with King David speaking to the assembly of Israel regarding preparations for the building of the temple.

1 Chron 29:1 — “Then King David said to the entire assembly, ‘My son Solomon, whom alone Elohim has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man, but for YHWH Elohim.'”

David proceeds to list the materials he has provided for the temple, and in verse 5, he asks the people, “Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to YHWH?” We see the people’s response:

1 Chron 29:6-9 — “Then the rulers of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with the overseers over the king’s work, offered willingly; ⁷ and for the service for the house of Elohim they gave 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, and 10,000 talents of silver, and 18,000 talents of brass, and 100,000 talents of iron. ⁸ Whoever possessed precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of YHWH, in care of Jehiel the Gershonite. ⁹ Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to YHWH with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly.”

Verse 9 is cool. There is a certain fulfillment of heart that comes when we offer freely and willingly to God. The praise of men is not needed to initiate this joy — only the knowledge that a loving Father looks on with delight. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

David proceeds to bless Yahweh in the sight of all the people (v. 10). After first exalting and thanking Yahweh, David prays,

1 Chron 29:14-16 — “‘But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. ¹⁵ For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. ¹⁶ O Yahweh our Elohim, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours.”

These verses highlight an important truth: we do not own anything; all belongs to Yahweh. A parallel to this is found in Leviticus 25 in connection with the “year of jubilee.”

Leviticus 25:10,23 — “‘You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family…²³ ‘The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me.‘”

The year of jubilee is fascinating to me. Our modern society is so well accustomed to pursuing wealth and “getting ahead” that the idea of returning someone’s original property every 50 years seems foreign and strange. Perhaps Yahweh intended the jubilee year to remind us of the temporary nature of our pursuits on this earth. Praise Yahweh for the good gifts of which He graciously allows us to partake during our sojourning here.

Finally, we come to the verses that inspired the title of this post. David continues his prayer,

1 Chron 29:17-19 — “‘Since I know, O my Elohim, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You. ¹⁸ O YHWH, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, our fathers, preserve this forever in the intentions of the heart of Your people, and direct their heart to You; ¹⁹ and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple, for which I have made provision.'”

David rejoiced as he witnessed God’s people give freely with pure intentions. I can almost feel the fervency in David’s words as he implored Yahweh to preserve those intentions forever in their hearts. Have there been times in your life when you were deeply moved toward greater devotion to Yahweh in a certain area and thought earnestly, “I hope this sticks; I hope I don’t revert to old habits; I want to be different from now on”? Oh, may Yahweh preserve our every thought and intention in sincere devotion to Him!

If there is any corner of your heart that is not fully given over to Him, may He open your eyes so that you can walk in complete freedom. Give Him the choicest of your attention, time, wealth, and vitality, and remember it is He who gives you the ability to do so. Echoing David’s words in 1 Chron 29:14, who are we that should be able to offer anything generously? Let us joyfully abandon empty pursuits in favor of walking in the light of Yahweh’s countenance (Psalm 89:14,15). Preserve our intentions, oh Yahweh!

Psalm 119:45-47 — “And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. ⁴⁶ I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings and shall not be ashamed. ⁴⁷ I shall delight in Your commandments, which I love.”

Psalm 36:7-8 — “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. ⁸ They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.”

(Bible passages NASB 1995; highlights and Hebrew transl. added by me.)